-stan

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The suffix -stān (spelled ـستان in the Perso-Arabic script) is Persian for "place of", a cognate to Pashto -tun, and derived from the Indo-Aryan equivalent, -sthāna (pronounced [st̪ʰaːna]) (स्थान in the Devanāgarī script), a cognate Sanskrit suffix with a similar meaning. In Indo-Aryan languages, sthāna means "place", and is cognate to the Latin terms, state and status (meaning "to stand").

The suffix also appears in the names of many regions, especially in Central and South Asia, areas where ancient Indo-Iranian peoples were established; in Iranian, however, it is also used more generally, as in Persian rigestan (ريگستان) 'place of sand, desert' and golestan (گلستان) 'place of roses, rose garden', Hindi/Sanskrit devasthan (place of devas, "temple"), etc. Both suffixes are of Indo-Iranian and ultimately Indo-European origin, the Proto-Indo-European root being *stā- 'stand,' which is also the source of English stand, Latin stāre, and Greek histamai (ίσταμαι), all meaning 'stand,' as well as many other words, for instance the Russian word стан (stan) meaning 'settlement' or 'semi-permanent camp' (used in reference to semi-nomadic settlements encountered in certain areas of Central Asia) or in other Slavic languages such as Serbian/Bosnian/Croatian where stan means 'apartment' in its modern usage, while its original meaning is 'habitat'. Also in Germanic languages the suffix has survived, for example in the words Stadt (German), stad (Dutch/Scandinavian) stêd (West Frisian) and stead (English), all meaning 'city'. Though less closely related, the name Istanbul shares similar meaning and semantic roots with the "istan" affix^{[citation needed]}.

The suffix -stan occurs in the following names, mostly geographical or pseudo-geographical:

Countries

• Afghanistan
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Pakistan
• Tajikistan
• Turkmenistan
• Uzbekistan

Autonyms

• Hayastan, the name of Armenia in Armenian
• Hindustan: the Muslim name of the Indian subcontinent. "Hindustani" is also an umbrella term for several similar languages including Hindi (primarily spoken in India) and Urdu (primarily spoken in Pakistan).
• Iriston (aryi+stan) - self-name of Ossetia

Regions

• Arabistan — refers to Arab lands in Middle East.
• Avaristan — Avari name for Avari land in Dagestan (Russia)
• Balawaristan — another name for the Northern Areas, Pakistan.
• Balochistan — region in Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• Baltistan — a northern region in Pakistan
• Bantustan — Apartheid-era South African black 'homelands'; the term is coined by an analogy
• Bashkortostan (Bashkiria) — constituent republic of Russia
• Cholistan Desert — a desert region in Pakistan
• Dagestan — constituent republic of the Russian Federation, literally "place of mountains"
• Dardistan — a region in northern Pakistan
• East Pakistan (or Bangalistan, refers to the historic name for pre-independence Bangladesh)
• Frangistan (Persian:فرنگستان farangestān) ^[1] to refer to Western Europe. (or Frankistan i.e. land of Franks)
• Gulistan (Golestan) ("rose garden" in Persian, an Iranian province and a city in Uzbekistan; compare with Gulistan Palace in Tehran and the poem by Saadi)
• Hindustan — land of the native Indians (Hindus). Coined by the ancient Persians, Also used British ruling in then the British India empire, generally talking about the South Asia.
• Kabulistan — ("The Kabul land" — old term used in many historical books and old Persian literature books for Kabul. Kabulistan contained a larger region than today's Kabul Province. Some times it is called as the country of Kabulistan)
• Kafiristan — ("land of the infidels"), historic region in Afghanistan until 1896, now known as Nuristan
• Karakalpakstan — constituent republic of Uzbekistan
• Khuzestan — a province of southwestern Iran
• Kohistan region in Pakistan
• Kordestan — a Kurdish province in Iran
• Kurdistan — Kurdish region
• Lazistan — another name for Colchis, a region in the Caucasus
• Lorestan or Luristan — a province of western Iran
• North Waziristan — northern part of Waziristan region in Pakistan
• Nurestan Province (Nuristan) — Afghanistan, formed in 2001
• Pashtunistan or Pakhtunistan or Pathanistan — is what many Pashtun nationalists call the Pashtun-dominated areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• Rajasthan — a regional state within the Republic of India
• Registan — historic site in Samarkand, meaning "place of sand"
• Russian Turkestan — Turkestan in the Russian Empire, later Turkestan Autonomous SSR
• Sakastan — region of Afghanistan and Pakistan where Scythians or Sakas resided in the 2nd century BCE.
• Saraikistan — region in southern Punjab province of Pakistan
• Seistan or Sistan — a province of Iran and Afghanistan
• South Waziristan southern part of Waziristan region in Pakistan
• Tabaristan — a historical region along the southern coasts of Caspian Sea
• Talyshistan — ethnolinguistic region in the SE Caucus and NW Iran
• Tatarstan — a constituent republic of the Russian Federation
• Turkestan — ethnolinguistic region encompassing Central Asia, northwest China, parts of the Caucasus and Asia Minor
• Uyghurstan/East Turkestan — Region of the Turkic Uyghur people, located in the north west of People's Republic Of China
• Waziristan — region of northwest Pakistan
• Zabulistan — a historical region in the border area of today's Iran and Afghanistan, around the city Zabol
• Zanjistan, or Zenjistan — term used in medieval texts to refer to the homeland of the Zanj, black slaves of probably East African origin
• Bargustan/Borgustan — to the north of modern Kislovodsk, mentioned by Evliya Çelebi^[2]
• Hunistan, Chenestan — kingdom of Huns in the modern territory of Kumyks^[3]

Proposed names

• Dalitstan, proposed name for Dalit homeland
• Dravidistan, a proposed southern Indian country covering the modern Tamil Nadu, and its neighbouring states.
• Uyghuristan — (variants East Turkestan & Uighurstan) proposed ethnic name for Xinjiang, People's Republic of China
• Khalistan or Sikhistan, a proposed country created from areas within India with a Sikh majority.
• Maronistan, a proposed name for Maronite state in Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War.
• Mughalistan, a proposed name for Mughal homeland
• Osmanistan proposed name for Hyderabad State

Fictional

• Adjikistan – a fictional central Asian country in the videogame SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Combined Assault.
• Aldastan – a fictional central Asian country consisting of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, from Command & Conquer: Generals.
• Ardistan – from the novel Ardistan and Dschinnistan by Karl May.
• Avgatiganistan – a pun of 'Afghanistan', it means 'Fried eggs' ('Avga tiganita') in Greek. Fictional country by author Eugene Trivizas.
• Azadistan – from the anime series, Mobile Suit Gundam 00.
• Bazrakhistan – a fictional former Soviet republic in the movie Act of War (1998) starring Jack Scalia.
• Belgistan – fictional Middle Eastern country in the anime Gasaraki.
• Berzerkistan – a fictional republic run by a genocidal terrorist godhead in the comic strip Doonesbury.
• Carjackistan – used occasionally in the comic strip Tank McNamara.
• Derkaderkastan – fictional Middle Eastern country in Team America: World Police.
• Franistan – fictional country referred to in the television show I Love Lucy.
• Helmajistan – fictional area from the anime Full Metal Panic!.
• Howduyustan ("how do you stand?") – fictional country from Uncle Scrooge comic book stories.
• Iranistan – an oriental region of Hyborea (Conan the Barbarian stories).
• Istan – a fictional island state in the online role-playing game, Guild Wars Nightfall.
• Kehjistan – the state of the eastern jungles in the game Diablo II.
• Kerakhistan – a fictional Middle Eastern country featured in the tabletop miniature wargame Battlefield Evolution.
• Kreplachistan – fictional country in the movie Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. ("Kreplach" — Eastern European Jewish dish consisting of meat-filled dumplings.)
• Paristan or Pari-estan (Persian: پریستان) is a fairyland in the folklore of Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia. Pari (Persian: پری) means fairy. In many children's stories Koh-e-Qaf (Persian: کوہ قاف) (Caucasus) is also used for fairyland.
• Pianostan – fictional country mentioned in an episode of Inspector Gadget.
• Pokolistan is a fictional country in DC Comics.
• Salvjakestan - fictional country in the Death Enrising Novels
• Serdaristan – fictional country in Battlefield: Bad Company.
• Tyrgyzstan – fictional country in the BBC television drama The State Within.
• Zekistan – a fictional central Asian nation in the video game Full Spectrum Warrior.

Satirical

• Absurdistan — sometimes used to satirically describe a country where everything goes wrong.
• Boratistan — name used by Kazakh press secretary Roman Vasilenko to describe an image of Kazakhstan created by Sacha Baron Cohen's character, Borat.
• Canuckistan, Soviet Canuckistan — derogatory nickname for Canada.
• Donundestan, capital Rillirillibad - fictional country in the Middle East in A Prairie Home Companion.^[4]
• Electistan - fictional and satirical term used with Incumbistan.
• Ethniclashistan — sometimes used satirically to describe countries in which multiple ethnic groups were thrown together, who then began fighting each other, e.g. Yugoslavia, the former Soviet Union. It was featured in the satirical The Onion newspaper in June, 2001 as being placed in the West Bank in the article Northern Irish, Serbs, Hutus Granted Homeland In West Bank (here spelled Ethniklashistan)
• Hollandistan - sometimes used to describe the rise of Islam in the Netherlands it is a combination of Holland and -istan
• Hotdogestan - Fictional country in the Middle East in A Prairie Home Companion.^[4]
• Incumbistan - introduced by columnist Mark Steyn to refer to the efforts of politicians of all parties to unite to enact rules seen as assuring their continued reelection.^[5]
• Londonistan — the British capital of London was given this sobriquet by French counter-terrorism agents.
• Londonistan (book) A book that sounds a warning about how the culture of the United Kingdom is being changed by a high concentration of immigrants.
• Nukhavastan — fictional country created by The Onion that has nuclear weapons.
• Srbistan - a joking way of referring to Serbia (Serbian: Србија, Srbija) mostly used by its citizens to describe the chaotic state of their country.
• Trashcanistan - a joking way of referring to Afghanistan often used by US military personnel.
• The three Jetlag parody travel guides contain faux ads for guides to other countries, each with a -stan reference. Molvanîa contains an ad for "Surviving Moustaschistan" (mentioning also "Carpetstan"), Phaic Tăn contains an ad for "Sherpastan", and San Sombrèro contains an ad for "Tyranistan".
• Various -stans appearing on different versions of the Jesusland map
  • Northeastistan
  • Pacificstan
  • Realistan
  • Jesusistan
  • Redstateistan
  • Redneckistan

Other

• Albanistan referring to modern Albania.
• Bimaristan, a kind of hospital in medieval Persia and the medieval Islamic world.
• Blogistan, alternative for Blogosphere
• Bulgaristan referring to modern Bulgaria. Ancient name for Tatarstan, a federal republic in Russia
• Dondestan, an album by Robert Wyatt. Sounds like Donde estan (Where are they?) in Spanish.
• Dristan, land of doctors. Dristan was a Cold and Allergy Congestion medication from Wyeth.
• Englistan, refers to England in Turkish, Persian and Urdu
• Ermenistan, refers to Armenia in Turkish, Persian and Urdu
• Gulistan name of places in Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan
• Gurjistan, referring to Georgia a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia.
• Hamastan, a concept of a Palestinian Islamic government with Sharia as law.
• Hunestan/Hunistan/Honestan, a settlement in Ostan-e Semnan, Iran
• Islamistan, means 'Land of Islam', used in various contexts.
• Khanistan, land of Khan a term used in Pakistan
• Magyaristan, refers to Hungary, the land of Magyars, in Turkish, Persian and Urdu
• Nakhlistan, refers to Oasis in the desert in Urdu language.
• Paristan or Pari-estan (Persian: پریستان) is a name of a fairyland in the folklore of Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia.
• Punjabistan, refers to Punjab region of Pakistan
• Polistan, refers to Poland in Turkish, Persian and Urdu
• Qabristan, a cemetery or graveyard. Qabr means grave.
• Registan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
• Shahrestan (several meanings)
• Sindhistan, refers to Sindh region of Pakistan
• Skateistan, a skateboarding/educational organization based in Kabul, Afghanistan
• Urdustan, refers to Urdu speaking world
• Yunanistan, referring to Yunan, modern Greece, from Ionia. Yunani means Greek in Middle Eastern languages.

References

External links

• Indo-European root *stā- (from the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition)